Farmers in Budalur taluk thanked officials for release of sufficient quantity of water into Uyyakondan Extension Canal from Vazhavanthankottai tank on Sunday.
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According to N.V. Kannan, Thanjavur district secretary, Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam, affiliated to Communist Party of India, water for irrigation was released into the canal from Vazhavanthankottai tank in Tiruchi district on August 26. However, not much water flowed through the canal and, as a result, several lakes in the taluk were almost dry.
Protesting the lackadaisical attitude of officials involved in the distribution of water for irrigation, farmers led by Mr. Kannan and T. Sivakumar of Kondaiyampatti Village Panchayat staged a demonstration on the canal bed on Thanjavur-Tiruchi National Highway on October 9.
The officials pacified the demonstrators and assured them that necessary steps would be initiated. They stood by their word and released sufficient quantity of water from Vazhavanthankottai tank from 8 a.m. on October 11 after raising the water level at the lake to 81 feet, Mr. Kannan said.
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The timely release of water in the canal would help farmers to take up samba cultivation with confidence in the ayacuts served by it.